It is known to form a sill for a motor vehicle, i.e., a body component arranged on both sides in the floor region of a motor vehicle, by a sill profile extending in a longitudinal direction. A “sill profile” here means a profile, typically a hollow profile, which forms the main part of the sill. The sill profile may be formed by an integral hollow profile or be constructed for example from two assembled profile parts which together form a hollow profile.
In recent times, sill profiles made of aluminium have been used to produce a body in lightweight construction. Such sill profiles are admittedly light but only have a slight extensibility and, in particular, under a side impact on the sill, break more easily than for example sill profiles made from steel.
Therefore, attempts have been made to combine the advantages of the different materials, in that a sill comprises both components made of aluminium and components made of steel.
For example, German Patent Publication No. DE 10 2014 200 598 B3 discloses a body component for a motor vehicle, in particular, a side sill, which has a closed hollow profile and is constructed from at least two sheet metal shells which are fixedly connected together by weld connections at their bent edge flanges, and provided with at least one reinforcing insert arranged in the hollow profile to stiffen the component in the transverse and/or vertical directions (y, z), wherein the reinforcing insert is in play-free contact with opposing wall portions of at least one or both sheet metal shells and is welded thereto via spot weld connections, wherein the reinforcing insert is formed by two double-T profiles connected in the manner of a cross and each welded to opposing wall portions of the sheet metal shells in the transverse and vertical directions (y, z).
German Patent Publication No. DE 10 2013 004 852 A1 teaches a sill for a vehicle body with an elongate reinforcing component formed as a hollow profile and made from metal, preferably steel, and/or from plastic, preferably fibre-reinforced plastic, wherein the reinforcing component is constructed from a group of at least two, preferably at least three individual profiles. The individual profiles are here joined together to form a substantially rectangular hollow profile.